


AZ-2100-IECW

by Enchantable



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Body Modification, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Handholding, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Piercings, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: “Careful—“ Michael stops at the look Brendan gives him, “it’s a really special guitar,” he says.“Son, I’m about to put ink permanently under your skin. I’m the best person to handle this instrument.”





	AZ-2100-IECW

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: Michael steals Alex's guitar again.

He doesn’t even know his guitar is missing until he sees Michael with it, hurrying down the street.

So Alex follows him.

He’s told Michael he’s always welcome, that he can take whatever he wants but this is a surprise. Alex is irrationally annoyed, which he tries to shut down. The guitar has survived a lot, being carried down the street is not going to ruin it. Michael is visibly agitated but he’s careful holding it. Alex has no doubt if he goes down, he would take the brunt of the fall. The thought brings him no joy though. He loves the guitar but he’d shatter it himself if it kept Michael safe. Or caused him a little less pain. He did consider doing that once, in a fit of grief, but he stopped himself and he’s never been happier that he did. Alex is a trained soldier and Michael is lost in his own world. So it’s easy to follow him.

He is surprised though when Michael ducks into the tattoo shop.

Alex used to buy his jewelry there, but it’s been years since he set foot in it. He wavers only a moment before slipping in. They still have that bell on the door and he’s careful to open it gently. He knows he looks different but he’s recognizable and a lot of the crowd is the same. When he motions for silence and jerks his head towards Michael, they ignore him. Alex has never liked a group of people more. Michael is lost in his own world and doesn’t notice, he’s looking for someone. Brendan is a cool guy and nods at Michael, barely glancing at Alex.

“This it?” He says.

“Yeah,” Michael says, “careful—“ he stops at the look Brendan gives him, “it’s a really special guitar,” he says.

“Son I’m about to put ink permanently under your skin. I’m the best person to handle this instrument.”

Michael flushes and nods.

“Come back,” he says, “your friend here to hold your hand?”

“My friend—“ he turns around and Alex has nowhere to hide.

Michael stares at him, his walls going up and down as he does. Alex is overwhelmed by the urge to run, but he ignores it. He’s done running from Michael. Which is a part of the problem since if he doesn’t run and Michael doesn’t run, they are going to have to figure this out. Michael looks down and Alex forces himself to take a deep breath. Brendan laugh coughs since he’s the one who told Alex to do that when he put a needle through his nose. Alex ignores him and steps forward.

“Yeah I’m here to hold his hand,” he says. Michael’s head flies up.

“You don’t have to do that,” he says.

“I know.”

Michael holds his gaze for a moment and then gives that sharp shrug he seems to reserve for Alex. Brendan grins and leads them back to the spot. He swaps out the guitar he’s got in the stand for the one Michael brought and then comes over to Alex, snapping on his gloves.

“You still got the hole?” He asks, “can I?” Alex nods and Brendan tilts his head, examining his septum before releasing him and ruffling his hair, “you were a punk but at least you came to the right place to be one.”

“He pierced your septum?” Michael asks. Alex nods. Brendan grins and swaps out his gloves.

“Alright enough about the past, lose the jacket so I can put the stencil.”

Michael shrugs off his jacket and puts it on the couch, coming close enough to Alex that he can feel his body heat. There is something intimate even though Michael is completely dressed. They glance at each other but Alex can’t fathom what’s going on in Michael’s head past the walls he’s put up. It makes him sad, he realizes. Even though he initiated their separation time and again. Maybe he can show that things are different by being here. Brendan places the stencil along Michael’s left forearm. The top of the headstock is at the tips of his cuticles, right before the nails start and guitar takes up most of his forearm. The guitar is surrounded by pieces of broken glass, Alex recognizes them from the ship. At the crook of his elbow is the symbol that Max has branded on his shoulder. On the inside of his ring finger is the word quiet. Michael looks in the mirror an nods.

“Perfect,” He says and his voice is so certain, Alex is surprised when he catches his gaze in the mirror. He nods to make sure Michael knows he agrees, “lets do this.”

“It’s an all day session,” Brendan says, “you can head out whenever.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Alex says.

Michael is fine for the first few hours. They are quiet and Alex is glad for cell phones so he can answer emails and not drown in the awkwardness. Brendan does the guitar first, rendering it beautifully. Seeing his guitar on Michael’s skin eases something in Alex’s chest. His own thoughts on the scars vanishing aren’t ones he wants to share, they aren’t ones he’s particularly proud of. He misses the evidence of them. Having it back and by Michael’s choice isn’t something he knows how to wrap his head around. Brendan snaps off his gloves and motions a pixie haired woman in.

“I heard we got another Alien appreciator,” she says.

“Yeah,” Michael says.

“Two of them,” Alex adds waving a hand. She grins and Michael almost gives himself whiplash staring at him, “I worked there in high school.”

“Oh no way! That’s so cool.”

She looks at Michael’s forearm and then snaps on her gloves and sets to work. Michael does his best to keep his face straight so she keeps going but Alex can see it’s waring on him. He glances around and finds a stool, pulling it over. Michael looks at him for a moment before dropping his other hand down. Under the table Alex sides his fingers through Michael’s. He gives his hand a gentle squeeze and Michael returns the gesture. Alex almost sags on the table with relief.

“So I heard Brendan pierced your septum years ago,” she says, “gave you hell when he figured out you were using a fake id.”

“It was already in by then,” Alex points out.

“Yeah he told me,” she says with a grin, “so how did you two meet?”

“We went to school together,” Michael says.

“High school sweethearts, that’s so cute,” she sighs, “I dated such assholes in high school. You two are lucky.”

“Yeah,” Alex says as Michael squeezes his hand.

“We are.”

The only person happier than Michael when the tattoo is done is Alex. He doesn’t know how to sit there and watch Michael suffer. Or try to hide it. But finally everything is done. His hand is irrationally cold as Michael jumps up and goes to the mirror. He’s pale and there’s beads of sweat on his forehead but the grin that spreads across his face makes it completely worth it. Alex doesn’t even want to think about the last time Michael looked at his hand and smiled. Probably never, but certainly not the last few years. Brendan and the pixie haired Kat both smile at each other.

“This is amazing,” Michael breathes, “Thank you. Both of you.”

“Hey man anytime,” Brendan says.

“Well not for a bit, you definitely need to recover,” Kat says.

They spread ointment over his tattoo and wrap his forearm. Brendan grabs the guitar, looks at Michael and then hands it to Alex. Michael pays for the tattoo in cash and they say their goodbyes before walking out. It’s night already, Michael tilts his head back and takes a deep breath. All the tension Alex has seen him carrying around relaxes. Though some of it will inevitably come back, Alex hopes that not all of it does.

“Thanks,” Michael says, “for being there. I don’t think I could have gotten through that in one go without you.”

“Sure you could have,” Alex says, “but thanks for letting me stay.”

Michael nods and looks down at his hand, smiling again.

“I feel better with it on there,” he says, looking at him almost shyly, “something from then, is that—“ he stops, “That’s fucked up right?”

Alex almost sags in relief.

“No,” he says, “no it’s not fucked up. I keep looking at your hand—“

“And something’s missing!” Michael finishes, triumph shining in his eyes, “I knew you’d get it.” Alex nods, “I mean I’m glad for the mobility and everything but yeah. I’m glad you get it,”

“I’m glad I wasn’t the only one,” he admits, almost weak with relief that Michael understands, “it’s not that I wanted you to be hurt—“

“No i get it,” he says. He holds up his forearm, “this does it right?” Alex nods as Michael offers that bright grin that sometimes—okay always—makes Alex’s knees go weak, “Hey why don’t you let me buy dinner, as a thank you for sitting through that with me?”

“You sure?”

Michael nods emphatically.

“Okay, lets go grab dinner before you crash.”

Michael crashes eventually but it’s on top of him while Alex gasps for air and just barely remembers to make sure the wrapping is still in place. Michael draws in a deep breath and rolls to the side, or as much to the side as the airstream’s narrow bed will allow. The only reason Alex has to leave is the heat of being next to him on the bed in the summer, and that barely registers. The guitar is on the table but Alex is genuinely stunned that they didn’t make the aistream tip with how they went at it. Michael nuzzles closer to him and Alex carefully puts his wrapped arm across his chest.

“We should have told Kat about making out in the museum,” Michael says, not opening his eyes.

“Never tell your tattoo artist anything surprising,” Alex says.

“Like you made out with an alien in the alien museum?” Michael says sleepily, Alex snorts.

“Yeah, Guerin, like that.”


End file.
